Excessive bleeding from a blood vessel is typically treated by first opening the body and then repairing or replacing the damaged blood vessel. In the case of a ruptured aortic aneurysm or a severed descending aorta resulting from a car accident or the like, this treatment may be life threatening due, in part, to loss of blood pressure when the body is opened. This loss of blood pressure may stop the heart and risk ischemic damage to the brain and other vital organs.
Present techniques for the repair or replacement of a damaged aorta generally involve opening the abdomen of the patient, locating the damage and effectuating the repair or replacement. Upon opening the abdomen, an instant decompression may occur, and coronary blood pressure may be lost. This may stop the heart from beating and may lead to the ischemic damage referred to earlier. When the heart stops, a surgical staff member typically manually massages the heart. At the same time, the blood is suctioned from the patient's abdomen, processed and returned to the patient along with additional blood from a blood bank to restore the correct volume of blood.
Also, at the same time, the damaged portion of the aorta must be located and repaired or replaced. Many times the damaged portion lies beneath the intestines which must be moved. But this can be difficult to determine until the blood is suctioned off.